Hey Guys! :O For those who decided to check this out, thanks! I would love to know if there are others who love this series as much as me. ;p

This is set after the Steele Wolf, book 2. I don't own The Iron Butterfly or any of the characters. All rights go to Chanda Hahn.

Happy Reading,

xoxo

I patted Faraway's neck reassuringly. It was more for reassuring me than him. I focused my mind so I could speak to him.

Faraway?

Yes? My horse replied.

I don't feel so good. I've been feeling bad for a while now. My stomach immediately cramped up, as if agreeing with me.

What kind of bad?

Like, fall off of my princely horse, bad.

Faraway snorted, his way of laughter, but immediately settled down. Perhaps you should tell the SwordBrother. Or the Denai. He may be able to heal you if it's just dehydration or heat exhaustion.

I shook my head, though none of my words had been aloud. No. I'm afraid to talk to them. Or one of them and not the other. They've been so hateful towards each other since…You know. I'm afraid I'll set one of them off if I talk to the other person.

It was true. Ever since Kael had kissed me, Joss had been awful to Kael, and Kael had been awful right back. They'd been at each other's throats since we left on the road for Haven. And we all were afraid of disturbing the peace. At least- the tiny, fabricated thing we had that resembled peace. It felt more like a time bomb waiting to go off. And I knew that I was probably the detonator. Yes, I felt awful. And I knew exactly why.

The Raven had told me. At least, the man who was impersonating the Raven. An apprentice, really. But he had told me that another one of my gifts was coming in. I knew he was right too. And I was terrified. I didn't want to hurt anyone else. I didn't want any more power. Hadn't I done enough damage?

Faraway spoke up, breaking my reverie. Bah. Those two will have to get over it. If you are in pain, then their rivalry should not stop you from getting help. He sounded miffed. Clearly not wanting me to suffer because of the two young men and their obvious disdain for one another.

Maybe it will pass. I thought, though I knew it would not be any time soon.

Very well. If you're so set on roughing it, then I will give you the pleasure. But if the pain gets too much to bear, you tell me. Understand? I'll get those two blockheads' attention if you refuse to do the job yourself. Faraway declared determinedly. I smiled. I knew he meant it too.

Of course. I will tell you if it gets too bad. I answered tiredly. Then our conversation faded into silence. None of this had been said aloud, so not to disturb the others in our party. I had a telepathic connection with Faraway, my beautiful white stallion. And had spent most of the trip so far speaking with him, rather than the people around me. We'd only been on the road for a couple of days, and the light was quickly fading.

I wearily eyed Mona. The troublemaker who had hurt Joss's mother, possibly been involved with the kidnapping of Tenya, his little sister, and one of the big reasons behind my confusion with my current relationship with Joss.

I had caught them kissing in the library during me and Joss's engagement party. Sure, it had been a ruse to help us investigate Tenya's disappearance, but I had to know. Had Joss kissed her willingly? Or had Mona been using her mind powers on him? Manipulating and controlling him like she had with the rest of the Jesai family? Either way, Joss and Mona had kissed first. So why should Joss be upset with me for letting Kael kiss me? He already knew I had seen what happened with Mona.

So why wasn't he bringing it up? Sure, I doubted he'd get much time alone with me while we were on our way to Haven. But what was he thinking? Was he angry at me? Or just Kael? My head ached like it had been stomped on by a wild, angry bull. I suddenly wished the power that was coming would show itself already and ease my pain.

"We can stop here for the night." Kael said in his firm voice. It wasn't raised or angry, but stern. He shot me a worried glance before he slowed his horse's pace. Joss spine stiffened with resistance. He clearly did not want to be bossed around by Kael. But I could tell he was tired. So the blonde Denai slowed his horse and sent Kael a stony glare before gritting his teeth and biting out, "Fine." Kael glared right back, and then dismounted from his large black horse, Coal.

I immediately jumped off of Faraway, not wanting any help. Truthfully, I did not want to risk staying on my stallion long enough for anyone to offer it. Especially if one of those people was Joss or Kael. I was so confused. I had thought that maybe Joss was the one for me. But what with happened with Mona… and finding out about Kael's feelings for me… I no longer knew what I wanted. Or needed, for that matter.

Darren let out a sigh of relief, "Good thing, too. I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse. In fact, I was thinking of starting with Faraway." He said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. My horse bucked up in disgust, following the action with indignant snorts and stomps on the forest floor.

I pretended to be horrified. "Over my dead body, you savage." I scolded, shaking my slender finger at Joss's jovial godfather.

He grinned, "Trust me, little fish. You are the absolute last person I would try to steal something from. Especially your horse. We all know what a bear you are about Faraway's wellbeing. " He quipped, making a comical face. I pretended to be offended when the others burst into laughter at Darren's teasing.

"I am not that bad." I argued indignantly, crossing my arms, though barely holding back a grin.

"Um, yeah, you kind of are." Joss said with a wide smile.

I turned to Fanny, hoping for female support. The older woman simply grinned while dismounting from her horse, Chamomile. "Don't look at me, girlie. I can't help you on this one." She laughed. I scowled and didn't even bother looking at Hemi, who was nearly chuckling his red beard off, while trying to hide the fact from me.

Finally, I looked to Kael, who quickly recovered from his laughter, feigning innocence with his stormy, ocean-blue eyes. "What? I didn't say anything." He said, though the smirk he was trying to hide gave him away. I sighed dramatically and plopped down on a log. "Fine. I see. You all think I'm a vicious, overprotective carnivore. Thanks." I griped, though I couldn't help but smile as I said it.

This immediately brought another round of laughter from my comrades before they went to gathering material for firewood and shelter. Kael's gaze lingered on me the longest. I felt his stare and slowly met his gaze, unsure of my reception. His eyes had softened considerably, and he smiled slightly, looking like he wanted to come and talk to me. But Joss had observed the look Kael had given me and scowled, then quickly interrupted the exchange.

"What do we do for shelter?" He asked with a sharp edge to his tone, directing the question at Kael. This was one of the few times Joss had deferred to the SwordBrother for anything on the trip. But the purpose had been to keep Kael's attention off me. And, judging by the way he clenched his jaw before answering, Kael knew this too. "The pallets should be fine, unless it shows signs of raining. Then we can try to look for a cave. There are plenty in this area." He replied coldly. Sending a hard, uncaring glower at the Denai. Joss returned the glare with equal contempt.

I sighed and stood, turning my back on both of them, and began gathering tinder. What was I to do with them? They practically hated each other. Well, no. They definitely hated each other. Was it because of me? Because they both had feelings for me? Or did they just feel threatened by the other's presence? I didn't understand. But they were making it very hard to travel with them, and I was feeling poorly enough as it was. I was beginning to get a bit frustrated as well. Why couldn't guys hate each other in secret, like girls did?

I decided to push the issue from my thoughts. I didn't need anything else problematic to dwell on. I was already concerned about my new power. I didn't want to hurt anyone with it. What if it was dangerous? Could I hurt my friends? It was cold outside, yet I was hot. Was that because of my fever, or something else? I bit my lip. Whatever Denai gift the Raven had injected me with, it was most uncomfortable. I kept having hot flashes. It's not like it was that time of month. I was burning up. And in 50 degree weather? That was just off. Really off.

What was wrong with me? I felt a presence behind me as I bent down, and jumped. I whirled around to see a sheepish Joss. "I'm sorry. I was going to say something, but you looked really deep in thought. I thought maybe you were talking to Faraway." He said, offering me an embarrassed smile as a peace offering.

"Oh, no. I was just…thinking. Do you need something?" I asked somewhat nervously.

"Yes. Actually." He replied, taking a deep breath and running his hand through his blonde hair, "Thalia…"

I winced. I didn't think I was going to enjoy this conversation.

"I… I wanted to say, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. About- about Mona. I don't know how it happened. When I drank the chai, everything went blurry. I mean, I was irritable. I snapped at you. And then…" His voice trailed off, and his face went downcast in shame.

"Yeah." Was all I managed. What do you say to that? I found him kissing another girl.

"I can't believe I betrayed you like that. It was like she ripped everything I knew out of my head, and stuffed something else in. I can still see the look on your face when you came in. I will never forget that crushed expression. I have never felt so much horror and shame as I did that night, when the chai wore off. And I just stood there! Like an idiot! And let you run off. I will never forget that feeling of… just… loss. I'm so sorry." The last bit came out as a whisper.

I could tell he was reliving that night in his mind. And he had more than once. I felt sorry for him. But the hurt was still fresh with me too. "It's okay." I said soothingly, "It wasn't your fault." But I made no move to embrace him. He looked up at me, and his brows knitted together in frustration.

"Then why are things like this between us? Why can't they be the way they were?" He asked, green eyes pleading.

I sighed. What could I say? I let my gaze flicker briefly to Kael who was helping Hemi secure Mona to a nearby tree. I returned my attention to Joss quickly, but he did not miss the action. Joss's beautiful face twisted into an angry scowl. And he sent a hateful look at Kael before turning back to me.

"Because of him? You were mine first!" He argued. I could tell he was getting worked up. I felt a pang of guilt in my stomach.

"Joss-." I tried. But the riled up Denai interrupted me.

"He stole you from me. I can't believe I didn't see the signs. The way he was always looking at you. Hovering, always at your side. Ha! And I just wrote it off as his 'SwordBrother duties'. He liked you all along. And I was as blind as a bat! I should have been more observant. I should have known. Well, I won't just stand by while he swoops in and takes you." Joss said in a heated, angry whisper.

I frowned. He was speaking as if I were some prize to be won, and not a human being.

"Joss, I am not, nor ever have been, your property. I am a person. And I choose who I spend my time with. Not you." I snapped, my own temper rising.

He winced and I saw the anger in his expression cool down. "I'm sorry, Thalia. I know. It's just… I guess he just gets under my skin. Like no one else I know. I know you're not property. I don't think of you that way. I never meant to sound so possessive."

My own anger cooled, and I gave him a sad smile. "It's okay, but…" I wasn't sure how to go on. Did he want me to choose? Him or Kael? How could I? I didn't know what I wanted. And I certainly wasn't feeling well enough to make any life-altering decisions.

Joss bit his lip before speaking, "Thalia. I've had feelings for you for several months now. I know we haven't known each other very long. But when I saw Kael… Well, when he did what he did, I was so- so jealous. And angry. Like he was invading my territory and stealing from me…. I actually wished I had let him fall to his death when I watched him and you… And, Thalia, I won't lie. I'm still angry. I want you to know, I am not giving up that easily. I will fight for you. Right now, finding Tenya is our main priority. But that doesn't mean I'm going to stand aside and let him have you."

And with that, Joss stood and walked away, leaving me slightly agape and even more confused. What happened to gentle, docile Joss, who never raised his voice? Never got upset? I wasn't too sure I was fond of the change. Yet I still felt a pang in my chest as he left me by my firewood. I didn't like this tension. But I couldn't ignore the warmth in my chest every time I felt Kael's eyes on me either. Boy was I in trouble.